[Nurse2B]

Hi all. I hope you're having an awesome New Years Eve. I'm just sitting back watching movies with my kids. I'm not sure they're going to make it to midnight. LOL. We'll see.

My weight loss is so slow. I've only lost 6 pounds since the last time I posted here. ): I just can't seem to get under 170 and stay there. I'm only 4-5 pounds away from a total loss of 100. It seems like I'll never get there.

It's been a grueling year with nursing school and health issues for me. I've had 4 CT's in the last year. I've had stricture and I've had my gall bladder out. I had complications from that, and now I'm having chronic pain in my abdomen.

Doesnt seem like there's really anything that triggers it. It starts out mild and builds. It's bad. Every test they've done (CT, upper GI scope, barium esophogeal to small bowel study) has shown nothing. It may be adhesions or the clips and sutures may be affecting my nerves. I don't know, but I've had medications. Everything from nexium to antidepressants for pain, not depression.

Anyways, my surgeon told me it wasn't related to the surgery and to have my primary do a workup. My primary sent me to a GI doc, who now has given up on trying to find the problem and is sending me back to the surgeon. UGH!

School starts again on the 11th. It's my last semester. I'm all set to graduate in May. I do not want to start another semester with surgery. I'm afraid the surgeon will want to do an exploratory lap. I may just have to bear this until then.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. If you've had anything similar please let me know.

The pain is like a squeezing pain. It occurs around the belly button area, sometimes to the right side more, sometimes higher, sometimes lower. My yearly pelvic exam triggered a really bad episode about 2 weeks ago, but sex doesn't do that to me. (I know TMI)

I'm desperate for relief.

Why does it seem that most people sail through this surgery and weight loss process, but me, I seem to get every single complication, crappy surgeon - who brushes me off, and a year of hell. I'd still do the surgery, but I might choose a different surgeon. Hind sight is 20/20 I guess. Still, it's exhausting. I'm thinking if this keeps on I'll need the antidepressants as just that, anti-depressants.

[mj2903]

This may sound strange but do you still have your appendix? In your piccture you appear young and when my kids had their appendixes out (both in 8th grade - strange) the pain started around the belly button.

The other thing that I found out when my youngest had chronic abdominal pain was that it can be caused by a low seratonin level. You mentioned an anti-depressant but not which one so if it wasn't a ssri, this could be another thing to have checked.

I don't know if any of this will help, but some of what I learned with my kids.

Melinda

[Nurse2B]

It's elavil now, but I'm not going to take it anymore. It wasn't working and I didn't want to stay on something that could cause long term problems

[mj2903]

They had my daughter on Lexapro until it made her suicidal and then Wellbutrin. I think the Gastro called it non-specified abdominal pain caused by low seratonin levels. This was 2-3 years after she had her appendix out.

I am not familiar with elavil.

Hope you get some answers and get to feeling better.

Melinda

[Nurse2B]

Thanks. Me too.

[DocSanae]

Glad you checked in.
Sorry to hear of your problems, you were starting with severe pain when you last posted, weren't you? I'm sorry that your drs still haven't gotten to the bottom of this.
Though, it does sound like an adhesion to me, the way you describe it, and your episodes. That, or diverticulosis, which won't be diagnosed until you've had a colonoscopy. Bypass surgery doesn't affect you having colonoscopy, so if you haven't had one during this, maybe you can ask your GI dr?
Hang in there, hope you get an answer soon.

[FinallyForMe]

I had post gallbladder removal pain and they checked for a blocked sphincter at the end of my bile duct. They said episodes were associated with high liver enzimes. You might want to ask if that's possible. They did an MRCP (like and MRI) to rule it out. Just a thought! Good luck!

Hope you feel better and congrats on your weight loss. Can't wait to be as skinny as you!
-Kath

[molly4220]

Sorry to hear your not feeling well, I hope you will soon.
Take care.
Judy

[Nurse2B]

Well, I've had an upper GI, 4 CT's, esophogeal, stomach, small bowel barium study, blood tests, and x-rays and so far nothing. The one thing that puzzles me is that when the Dr. thought it was an ulcer he had me drink a GI coctail. The pain was relieved for about 5 minutes then it came back just as strong as before I drank it. I could feel the relief as the concoction moved through my system. Would that have worked for adhesions?

I dread going back to my surgeon. I'm intimidated by his attitude. Who wants a Dr. that doesn't want to deal with your issues and tries to dismiss them? If my GI doctor hadn't given up on me I would stay with him. It really just sucks!

[judijo]

Pre-op, I always thought my lower abdomen pain was ovarian until they attempted a colonoscopy and it turned out to be attached to my colon somehow. the procedure was aborted. The GI nurse (the doc dared not come talk to me considering how many Fbombs I dropped on him) told me it was probably a pelvic adhesion attached to my colon.

The pain is excruciating, relieved only with the release of gas or a B.M. I take stool softeners daily to help the situation. I never take any "colon cleansing" products which will guarantee the pain.

Congratulations on your completion of nursing school. That is great!